16
Simple Ways
to Help First-Time
Managers Succeed
A Guide for HR Leaders in Tech
Jhana
Dear HR leaders: You
have a huge opportunity.
What if we told you that by doing just
one thing, you could dramatically
increase engagement, reduce turnover,
and improve the bottom line?
Jhana
Any guesses on what the
one thing is? It’s simple:
Help first-time managers become
effective managers. Jhana
We get it. Who has time
for manager training?
Especially when you work in tech. When
you’re trying to scale. When the talent
war is so fierce. When you’re promoting
rapidly. When a lot of tech managers don’t
even like formal training.
Jhana
But here’s the thing. Weak
managers lead to all kinds of
expensive problems:
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
Low morale
• 
High turnover
• 
Ineffective teams
• 
Poor performance
• 
Less top talent
• 
Bad hiring decisions
Toxic attitudes
Less innovation
More politics
Lower profits
Jhana
The bottom line: if you’re
growing fast and scaling faster,
weak managers can literally
Break. Your. Company.
But don’t be too hard on your
managers. It’s not entirely their fault...
Jhana
Good managers aren’t
born. It’s a learned skill,
and it’s really hard.
New managers rarely get the training
and support they need to be effective.
Jhana
Now for the good news:
The solution to this
problem is simple.
In fact, dear HR leader, it’s within your
power to solve it right now.
Jhana
Here are 16 simple things you
can do to help your first-time
managers succeed.
Most of these things aren’t hard. Some are
so simple, you can get started today!
Jhana
1
Encourage them to
create a 90-day plan
for success.
Jhana
The first 90 days are critical to success in
any new role, and they can be especially
overwhelming for first-time managers.
To help ease the transition, encourage new
managers to work with their bosses to
develop 90-day plans that include clear
goals and expectations for the role.
Jhana
2
Help them establish
clarity about their
new role.
Jhana
If someone has never managed before, they
may have unrealistic or unclear
expectations for their role.
Encourage them to work with their bosses
to know exactly what’s expected of
them in this new role. The 90-day plan
can help a lot with this.
Jhana
3
Teach them the basics
of effective 1-on-1’s.
Jhana
1-on-1’s are the cornerstone of effective
manager-employee relationships, which
means they have the potential to make
or break a team’s success.
Don’t leave this one up to chance! Give
your new managers a primer on the
purpose of 1-on-1’s and how to run them
productively. Jhana
4
Make sure they know
how and when HR is
there to help.
Jhana
First-time managers may not know when,
or even how, to ask HR for help with
common problems, or they might come to
you a little too often.
Set clear guidelines for exactly how
HR can support and assist managers.You
might even consider establishing regular
office hours just for new managers.
Jhana
5
Provide ongoing
support, not just onetime training.
Jhana
Most learning happens on the job, not in a
training class. Give first-time managers
ongoing support, such as an online
resource or on-demand tools, so they have
access to help whenever they need it.
Shameless plug: Jhana’s online learning
solution can help! We’re built for tech
companies, and new managers love us.
Learn More
Jhana
6
Make sure they
understand the law
(without boring them
too much!).
Jhana
New managers may not fully comprehend
the potential liabilities of their new role,
especially if they’re transitioning from peer
to manager, so a solid grasp of employment
laws and protections is a must. Make it relevant with specific, relatable
examples to help managers really
understand what’s at stake before they
accidentally get into hot water.
Jhana
7
Help them make the
mental shift to being a
manager.
Jhana
Becoming a new manager isn’t just a new
job– it’s a new career. Even if you’re promoting from within, set
aside some time to walk first-time
managers through the responsibilities
that come with their new role. This will
help them make the mental shift to
being a manager.
Jhana
8
Help them get to know
their new team.
Jhana
Give first-time managers an org chart of
their new team and how it fits into the
broader organizational structure.
Include team members’ names, resumes,
photos, job descriptions, and any other
relevant information.
Jhana
9
Teach them about the
many different kinds of
motivation.
Jhana
Different things motivate different
people. This may sound like common sense
to you, but new managers may not realize
that their team members have different
life and career goals than their own.
Help managers understand the different
kinds of motivation, and encourage them
to get to know their team members’
unique motivators and goals.
Jhana
10
Help them learn
how to give effective
feedback.
Jhana
Giving effective feedback is one of the
hardest things your first-time managers
need to learn.
Give them a quick primer on the
importance of giving regular feedback
(both positive and negative), and include a
few specific examples to help them
deliver it effectively.
Jhana
11
Give them tools for
managing stress.
Jhana
First-time managers often feel tremendous
pressure to do well, while also facing a
steep learning curve. This can lead to
stress and burnout.
Give them some tools to cope with the
stress in a healthy way – you might include
useful articles, mindfulness tips, maybe even
some aromatherapy!
Jhana
12
Connect them with
a mentor who has
been in their shoes.
Jhana
Connect managers with a mentor, ideally
someone who has succeeded in a similar
role, to offer guidance and sympathetic ear.
An easy way to get started: ask leaders
inside your company to sign up to mentor
first-time managers. Lunch or coffee
once a month is all it takes.
Jhana
13
Help them become
a good coach.
Jhana
A 2011 Google study identified eight traits
of effective managers, and being a good
coach tops the list.*
Help new managers understand that
effective coaching is a key part of building
a great team, which, in turn, is the key
to their success as a manager. Give them a
few pointers on how to do it well, too.
*source: http://www.forbes.com/sites/frederickallen/2011/03/13/google-figures-out-what-makes-a-great-boss/
Jhana
14
Check in with them
regularly.
Jhana
Becoming a manager is a challenging, often
isolating career transition, so check in
with them regularly.
This can be as simple as a quick email
once a week or a link to a helpful article.
Just make sure they know you’re here to
support them. Jhana
15
Help them navigate
office politics.
Jhana
Even if your company culture eschews
office politics, there are probably some
organizational quirks that your first-time
managers don’t know about.
Educate them early on any unspoken
rules, departmental dynamics, or
challenging personalities they might
have to navigate. Jhana
16
Show them that
they’re not alone.
Jhana
Start a monthly support group where
first-time managers can get together and
share their struggles and successes.
Host discussions and role plays to
help managers feel comfortable dealing
with a wide variety of common
management challenges. Jhana
Next Steps
Supporting new managers is simple, but it isn’t
easy. Jhana can help. We help companies like
Groupon, Eventbrite, and Match.com support and
develop their managers, and we can help you, too.
Click the link below to learn more about Jhana:
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